Charlotte Dujardin out of Paris Olympics 2024 over allegedly ‘whipping horse 24 times like circus elephant’

Charlotte Dujardin, one of many stars of Group GB forward of the Olympics, has been banned from the Paris Video games over allegations she whipped a horse “24 occasions” prefer it was “an elephant in a circus”.

Dujardin, a three-time Olympic champion, earlier withdrew from all competitions because of a video that reveals the dressage rider “making an error of judgement throughout a training session” to a younger rider 4 years in the past.

Stephan Wensing, a lawyer representing the 19-year-old who filed the grievance in opposition to Dujardin, stated the incident happened when the 39-year-old was telling the coed to carry up the legs of the horse.

He informed The Telegraph: “She took the lengthy whip and she or he was beating the horse greater than 24 occasions in a single minute.” He added: “It was like an elephant within the circus.”

The Worldwide Federation for Equestrian Sports activities (FEI) confirmed that it had been despatched footage of Dujardin “partaking in conduct opposite to the rules of horse welfare” and has determined to provisionally droop the rider for six months with rapid impact.

The FEI stated in an announcement that Dujardin totally cooperated with their investigaton, admitting she is the person within the video and acknowledging her conduct was inappropriate earlier than withdrawing from the Olympics.

Dujardin was bidding to turn into Britain’s most embellished feminine Olympian at this summer season’s Video games in Paris. In an announcement, she stated she is “deeply ashamed” and the incident “was utterly out of character and doesn’t mirror how I practice my horses or coach my pupils”.

The 39-year-old withdrew from all competitors whereas the Worldwide FEI investigated the footage, and the organisation has now determined to droop Dujardin for six months whereas it continues its investigation.

The content material of the video in query, which has resurfaced simply days earlier than the Olympics start, allegedly reveals Dujardin mistreating a horse at a personal steady. The video was despatched to the FEI on Monday by a Dutch lawyer representing an undisclosed complainant.

A report on the Dutch web site Horses.nl stated the lawyer was Stephan Wensing and acknowledged that the video confirmed Dujardin hitting a pupil’s horse with a whip.

“It’s unacceptable that dressage sport needs to be accompanied by animal abuse,” Wensing informed Horses.nl . “If top-level sport can solely be carried out in such a means that the welfare of the horse is compromised, then top-level sport needs to be abolished.”

Dujardin, British Equestrian and British Dressage have been knowledgeable of the allegations and the FEI’s investigation and got a deadline of 4pm UK time on Tuesday afternoon to reply.

Dujardin launched her assertion asserting her resolution to withdraw from the Olympics simply minutes earlier than the deadline.

“We’re deeply disenchanted with this case, particularly as we strategy the Olympic Video games in Paris 2024, stated the FEI’s president Ingmar De Vos. “Nevertheless, it’s our duty and essential that we handle any cases of abuse, as equine welfare can’t be compromised.

“Charlotte has expressed real regret for her actions, and we recognise and recognize her willingness to take duty. Regardless of the unlucky timing, we imagine this motion reaffirms the FEI’s dedication to welfare because the guardians of our equine companions and the integrity of our sport.”

An announcement from Dujardin earlier on Tuesday stated: “A video has emerged from 4 years in the past which reveals me making an error of judgement throughout a training session.

“Understandably, the Worldwide Federation for Equestrian Sports activities (FEl) is investigating and I’ve made the choice to withdraw from all competitors, together with the Paris Olympics, whereas this course of takes place.

“What occurred was utterly out of character and doesn’t mirror how I practice my horses or coach my pupils, nonetheless, there isn’t a excuse. I’m deeply ashamed and may have set a greater instance in that second.

“I’m sincerely sorry for my actions and devastated that I’ve let everybody down, together with Group GB, followers and sponsors.

“I’ll cooperate totally with the FEl, British Equestrian Federation and British Dressage throughout their investigations, and won’t be commenting additional till the method is full.”

The Olympics opening ceremony is on Friday whereas the dressage competitors at Paris 2024 is scheduled to start on 30 July, on the Chateau de Versailles.

A medal of any color would have taken Dujardin forward of bike owner Laura Kenny as Britain’s most embellished feminine Olympian, with the pair at present tied on six medals.

Dujardin received group and particular person gold medals at London 2012 and received particular person gold and group silver 4 years later in Rio, competing in each video games on horse Valegro.

Dujardin had a special horse, Gio, on the delayed Tokyo Video games three years in the past and she or he was set to experience Imhotep this summer season in Paris.

Gio, a diminutive horse who was purchased as a five-year by Dujardin following Rio, was then bought simply months after the Tokyo Video games.

One of many greatest controversies of the delayed Tokyo Video games in 2021 was a German fashionable pentathlon coach being thrown out of the Olympics for punching a horse.

The incident triggered a serious overhaul of a historic sport and resulted within the equestrian factor being eliminated utterly forward of the Paris Video games.

Talking forward of the Olympics, Dujardin believed she had a “actually good probability” of success in Paris, the place she was scheduled to compete within the particular person dressage and group occasion, alongside Carl Hester and Lottie Fry.

Of her possibilities of making British Olympic historical past, Dujardin stated: “Will probably be one of the unimaginable moments if that does occur, however I don’t put any strain on myself to make that occur.”